Watching how amyloid plaques form in Alzheimer's using advanced imaging
Understanding Amyloid Pathology - Multiomic Activity Imaging of Plaque Formation Dynamics (AmyMAP)
Researchers will use high-resolution imaging and molecular profiling to follow how different kinds of amyloid plaques appear and change in early Alzheimer's disease to better understand effects on brain circuits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11091614 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, this work aims to watch amyloid plaques develop over time using 3-D imaging and multiple molecular measurements, linking plaque types to nearby nerve cell activity. The team will combine detailed pictures of tissue with molecular 'multiomic' data to map different plaque classes and their timelines. Findings will come from lab models and brain tissue samples so scientists can see early changes that might matter for symptoms or treatment choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, or those willing to donate brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, or other samples, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia or non-amyloid causes of cognitive decline may not directly benefit from the immediate findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify which plaques are most harmful and when they appear, guiding better early diagnosis and therapies that target the right aggregates.
How similar studies have performed: Drugs like aducanumab show that amyloid can be reduced in the brain, but detailed, time-resolved mapping of how different plaque types form and affect circuits is relatively new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Savas, Jeffrey Nicholas — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Savas, Jeffrey Nicholas
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.